A note on the Amazon ads: I've chosen to display current events titles in the Amazon box. Unfortunately, Amazon appears to promote a disproportionate number of angry-left books. I have no power over it at this time. Rest assured, I'm still a conservative.

Monday, January 10, 2005

Two Mistakes: On Friday, USA Todaybroke the story that the Education Department had paid syndicated columnist and radio/TV pundit Armstrong Williams $240,000 to promote the No Child Left Behind Act. Tribune Media Services, Williams' syndicate, subsequently fired him. (An apology from Williams can be found here.)

Let me first reveal that I have never been paid a cent by the government or any corporation to promote an program, initiative or act of Congress -- but for $240,000 I'm willing to. However, unlike Williams, I'd disclose the fact first.

Williams has said that he was being paid to support a program that he supported anyway, so that he can still be trusted. He lost that trust. Maybe he can earn that back, but not anytime soon. Williams is going to pay for his ethical lapse.

What's more maddening is the fact that the Education Department is using my tax dollars for this bit of stupidity.